It’s no surprise that all family members need to adapt when parents go through a divorce. As you and your spouse are working through the logistics of this life transition, there are a few things that you can do to make it a smooth and amicable divorce.
The truth is that divorce doesn’t have to be a battleground or a long, drawn-out process. By working together, a married couple can separate their lives to move in different directions while maintaining a team-focused mindset to care for their children’s needs.
Custody and visitation of the kids are one of the most important details to work through during this time. Both communication and compromise are necessary to ensure the plan is a good fit for not only the kids but also both parents.
Tips for Designing a Custody Schedule
The most important thing to focus on while designing a custody schedule is to keep the kid’s best interests in mind. The child’s needs are always the highest priority when the court is involved. Now that the kids have two places to call home, there are ways the parents can work together to support their children and create a comfortable, supportive lifestyle.
Here are a few considerations to address while designing this custody schedule:
- Work Schedules and School Schedules: Think about your work hours, commute time, and how these schedules align with the kid’s school schedule. For example, if one parent has a flexible morning schedule, then it might make sense for that parent to oversee the morning routine and get the kids to school.
- Extra-Curricular Activities: Next, it’s important to consider how the schedules will work for after-school extra-curricular activities, such as sports practices and music lessons. What activities was each spouse involved in before the divorce? If one parent is more passionate about a specific activity, they are an ideal fit to take the kids to those activities – as long as the schedule fits. Who can continue bringing the kids to games and recitals?
- Daily Tasks and Home Life: Before the divorce, was one parent overseeing the daily activities, such as managing the home, cooking, laundry, homework, etc.? How closely can you stick to this schedule to minimize drastic changes? At the same time, also look for ways for these roles to shift if work hours are increasing or changing. Older kids can also be a support to help out around the house.
Need Help with Custody Planning? Call Us Today
At Grey Legal Group, we are here to assist you through every step of your divorce. If you need custody planning assistance, we invite you to reach out right away to schedule a consultation with our experienced team.
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